My Little Bird
by Moomba2
Summary: Another Kuja fic.......This time he has an accomplice! Could there be....ROMANCE?! (bum bum bum) Will she betray him to do the right thing? R/R please! PG-13 for language and just plain Kuja UPDATE: Chapter 8
1. I

Author's note: Yep, another Kuja-fic ^-^ This never really happened in the game (duh) but I'd say it takes place near the middle…I don't remember exactly when Kuja destroys Alexandria…. I just wanted Kuja to have a sidekick, is that so bad?! Well, enjoy…   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own FF9, but I DO own Mallory.  
  
  
Kuja's step was light as he walked through the crowded Alexandrian streets. They didn't even notice him as they lightly pushed past him. He smiled softly to himself, thinking of what was to come. He glanced about the streets at all the little shops and homes that would soon be nothing but piles of rubbish. Then he smacked right into someone. He lost his balance and fell flat on his behind, as did the girl who bumped into him.   
The girl, named Mallory, only fifteen, sat up and rubbed the back of her head. She looked over at Kuja. She usually decided whether to apologize or to be angry at this point, by whom had bumped into to whom and who had been bumped. She looked over at the beautiful person before her. 'What a beautiful woman,' she thought. Then she saw Kuja's lavish silk clothes she was about to apologize, until she heard what 'she' had to say, which revealed his true gender. "Watch where you're going, you little whore," he snarled, brushing away some invisible dust on his purple chest-plate as he stood up. She shot up, bristling. "Excuse me, sir, but it was you who was looking away and slammed into me."  
"Is that so?" he smirked. "Yes, it is," she shot back. "And I'm not a whore."  
"Hm," he mumbled softly as he brushed past her.   
Mallory huffed and continued to the square.   
Kuja pushed through the rest of the bustling crowds and stopped by the knight statue by the edge of town. Less people, less ways to be noticed. He leaned against the statue and watched the world go by.   
"I've got everything I need…It's time to go home, I guess," Mallory said, swinging her bag over her shoulder and walking out of the medicine shop. She went back down the street towards her little house, then she felt a tug on her bag. She turned to see a big dog pulling at it and snarling. "Oh, you, give it back," she said as she pulled back. The dog was quite strong and got the bag away from her, bolting down the street. She sprinted after it. It stopped by a shop in the little square with the knight statue. It dropped to the ground and began to chew at the tough leather. Mallory bent down to grab it when a hulking arm came in her way. "Can I help you, little lady?" a gruff, annoyed voice said. She made for the bag again. "It's my bag," she said softly. The arm came in her way again. "Anything my dog finds, my dog keeps," the voice said, angrier then before. "I don't think so," she replied. "It has important medicine in it." The arm grabbed her collar and lifted her up. She met the angry eyes of a huge man.   
"She's not armed," Kuja said to himself as he watched. "This could be interesting."  
The girl didn't seem alarmed at all. In fact, she was smiling. Kuja became very curious, and shifted his weight a little, watching intently.   
Mallory raised one of her hands and cast a quick fire spell, bursting the man into flames. The man roared and dropped her, only to grab his knife from his pocket and slash her across her side. She buckled, grabbed her bag and ran as he put out the fire. She was gone by the time he looked up. Mallory collapsed on the other side of the statue, out of sight of her attacker. Kuja walked a few steps to her side and bent down next to her. "Are you all right, my little bird?" She looked up and saw his fingers glowing with a cure spell. "No, no, I'm fine," she assured him. Then to his amazement, she cured herself.   
"Wait, wait, wait…" Kuja said, confused. "You used a fire spell over there," he pointed towards the shop. "And you used a curing spell here."  
"Yeah? So?"  
"Well, that's white and black magic."  
"I know."  
"Oh no, you don't, my pretty little bird. Listen."   
Mallory crossed her arms and sat back against the statue. "Now, most people can only use one kind of magic."  
"I know."  
"I see," Kuja thought. "Well, there is something I must tell you."  
"Yes?"  
"Take all of the belongings you can and flee from this place."   
"What?"   
"There is no time to explain. Leave, now."  
Mallory wasn't really sure if she could trust this mysterious man, but she took her bag and ran from Alexandria.   
That night she watched it burn.  



	2. II

Early in the morning Mallory felt something soft brushing against her cheek from under the tree where she had been sleeping. She rolled over and pushed some of her chestnut hair out of her eyes. When her vision focused, she saw Kuja brushing his soft fingers against her face. It took her a moment to comprehend, but she sat up and slapped his hand away. "How dare you presume you may touch me in such a way! You…you…"  
"Kuja," he purred.   
"Kuja," she repeated. Then she noticed the huge dragon behind him. She stood up and pressed herself against the tree, full of fear. "Oh my gods…"  
Kuja turned and looked at the Silver Dragon, then back at Mallory. "It's quite all right. She's mine."  
"Really?" Mallory's muscles relaxed and she stared at the dragon. It took a step toward her and stared back. It pressed its nose into her chest and made a rumbling sound in its throat. "See? She's friendly."  
Mallory gently patted it on the nose and it withdrew its head slowly. "Wow, a dragon all your own…"   
Kuja got on with the help of the dragon and offered his hand. "May I ask your name, my little bird?"   
She gave him her hand. "It's Mallory." She pulled her up and she sat behind him.   
"Hold on," Kuja said, gently placing his hands on the Silver Dragon's back. It leapt into the air and flapped its powerful wings under them. Mallory gasped in surprise and gripped Kuja's sides. The dragon turned north and flew into the horizon.   
"I wanted to ask you something…" Mallory said softly, trying not to feel sick, even on the smooth ride.   
"Yes?"  
"Why did you tell me to escape Alexandria? How did you know that would happen?"  
"You really want to know?"  
"…Yes."   
"I did it. I destroyed Alexandria."  
Mallory gasped and shot up from his shoulder where she had been resting her head.  
"What?! Why?!"   
"It's too long and too tragic of a story, my little bird…Not something for someone such as you to hear." He reached his hand back and stroked her hair. She wanted to slap his hand away again, but she didn't.   
"Well…why did you save me?"  
Kuja thought for a moment. "Because you're powerful…Because you know many kinds of magic…because…. I need your help." Mallory sighed softly. "All right…I'll help you…If you tell me your story someday…"  
"I promise."  
When Mallory opened her eyes again, they were over a vast desert. "Where are we?" she asked, siting up and rubbing her eyes. "We're over the Kiera Desert," Kuja said softly. "We're near my palace…"  
"Palace?"  
"Yes. A beautiful palace, a perfect cage for a little canary…" he cooed.   
Mallory sighed again. "I wish you would stop that."  
"Stop what?"  
"Talking to me that way, like I'm an animal or bird or whatever."  
"Really?"  
"…No. I like it," she smiled. She felt something soft brushing against her leg. She batted it away; thinking it was only Kuja's cloak. It brushed up against her again, and she looked down to see a silvery tail blowing a little in the breeze. She reached down and grabbed it lightly, taking it and stroking the soft fur. Kuja looked back at her. "You have a tail!" she exclaimed. "How cute!"  
Kuja smiled and went back to guiding the dragon. "There it is," he said, pointing to quicksand blow them. "What? The quicksand?"  
"Hang on!" Mallory gripped his cloak and buried her face in his shoulder, shutting her eyes tightly as the dragon dove straight into the quicksand pit. She didn't even feel the sand, just what felt like a cool breeze.   
They were in a dim hallway, with candles lining the sides, emitting a soft glow. Mallory looked all around at the statues and the other decorations in the room. "Wow…"  
Kuja walked to the middle of the corridor where there was a glowing blue circle in the floor. "Come here, my little bird," he motioned. Mallory walked over and stood next to him by the circle.   
"What's that?"  
"Step on it and you'll see."  
"…You first."  
"All right, all right," Kuja stepped onto it and vanished slowly. Mallory quickly followed not wanting to be left alone in such a strange castle. She stepped out into a lounge it appeared. There was a fireplace with a crackling fire in the corner, several bookshelves crammed with huge books lined the walls, and there were a few tables with papers and ink and feathers on them. Mallory walked over to one of the bookshelves. She pulled off the thickest book she could find in a few seconds and looked at it, brushing some dust off the cover. It's not even in Gaian, she thought as she looked at the front and then a few pages. "Have you read all of these?" she asked as she put it back on the shelf. Kuja, who had been watching her intently leaning against a table, stood up and walked over to her. "Every one. And there's a library much bigger then this that I have also finished."  
"You must be very smart," she said, looking at another book. "What language are these in?" she held out the book to him. Kuja went a little paler then usual and took the book, gazing absentmindedly down at the pages as he thought up a lie. "They're…in ancient Gaian. Very, very old."  
"You must take good care of them," she said taking the book and replacing it on the shelf. "They don't look very old."   
Kuja sighed in relief and went to sit on a chair in front of the fire. Mallory went and sat down on the soft carpet in front of him, staring up at him. "I wanted to ask you something."  
"Hm?" Kuja sighed, as he looked from the fire to into her eyes.   
"You said you destroyed Alexandria…That huge dragon, the eye in the sky…that was all you?"  
"Yes."  
"Do you mind if I ask how?"  
"That is all part of the story…" he reached his hand down and stroked her hair like he would have petted a dog. "I'll tell you in good time."  
Mallory gently pushed his hand away. "So…what do you need my help with?" she said after a few moments of silence.   
"Well…this will seem like an odd question…but can you be evil?"  
"Evil?"  
"Yes. I mean, can you look sinister and make people fear you with the cold look in your eye and destroy without feeling?"  
"I don't think I can do any of that…"  
Kuja took her chin and held her head up, staring into her eyes. "Especially the cold eye part, because you've got brown eyes, as I didn't really notice."   
"That's not the part I was most worried about…" she admitted. "I don't think I can kill people and destroy things with feeling something…"   
"Nonsense. I'll teach you." Mallory thought for a moment. "Well, okay, I guess." She would do it if she was aloud to stay. After all, Alexandria was in ruins, and she couldn't return from this desert, anyway. "Anyway, let's try looking sinister now, shall we?" Kuja stood up and took her hand. "Follow me."   
Through countless corridors and teleport pads, they reached what seemed to be his bedroom. There was a large vanity and bed, and a big walk-in closet. Mallory sat on the bed as Kuja went into the closet. He busied himself in there for quite while. Mallory was looking at his beauty supplies when he came out. In his arms was a bundle of black and red and gold. "I have one thing to say," Mallory said, putting the lotion bottle she had been examining down, "if that looks anything like your outfit, I'm not wearing it."   
Kuja smiled wryly. "You don't like my clothes?"  
"Oh, no no. I love them, it's just I would never wear something like that."   
"I see." He gave he the clothes and pointed her to a changing screen I the corner. Mallory went behind it and drew it shut. Why does he have a changing screen if he lives alone? she thought. She changed into the clothes, with some difficulty. She had never worn anything with so many pieces in all her life. When she pulled back the screen Kuja got up and walked over to her, looking her up and down. "It does look like your outfit," Mallory said, looking from hers to his. "Except where there's skin there's black, where there's purple there's red, and where there's silver it's gold."   
"We have to look similar if we're working together," he said simply. He shifted his weight and looked her over again. "Hmm…. Something's missing…" He thought for a few moments and Mallory watched him think. "Ah, I know."  
He grabbed her hand and led her over to the vanity. He sat her down and went to the bottom drawer and got a little golden box. He took three brown feathers out and held them against her hair. "Perfect," he murmured to himself. He set them on the table and put the box away. When Mallory looked up from the feathers, Kuja was holding a delicate little brush and a small container of what looked like gold dust. "Close your eyes," he coaxed. Mallory did so willingly. She felt the brush on her eyelids then she felt another on her lips before he told her she could open her eyes. She blinked a few times and stared in the mirror. The gold eye shadow made her eyes look narrower, brighter, and more frightening, and her dark lips made her skin look pale and ghostly. "I'm not quite done…" Kuja said as he took a little bottle and the feathers from the table. Mallory watched in the mirror as he put some of the contents of the bottle into her bangs and the tips of the feathers, then stuck them in her hair and smoothed them all together. He bent down so he could see over her shoulder and looked at her reflection. "Perfect," he smiled. "You look beautiful, ravishing, remarkable, you look…like me." He smiled again.   
  
  



	3. III

"All right, what spells do you know?" Kuja asked, shifting his weight. They were in a large room that seemed to be a training gym. Mallory thought for a moment then counted on her fingers. "I know Fire, Fira, Firaga, Blizzard, Blizzara, Blizzaga, Thunder, Thundara, Thundaga, Comet, Meteor, Flare, Osmose, Water, Waterga, Blind, Silence, Stop, Slow, Haste, Cure, Cura, Curaga, Float, Regen-"  
"Okay, okay, I get it."  
"Good."  
"Show me what you can do," he said, stepping back to reveal a stuffed model of a huge man, like the one that had attacked her. Mallory cracked her knuckles and smiled. She charged at the bag and smashed her elbow into the stomach, and then she used the same arm and dug her knuckles into the face. "I meant magic," Kuja said, rolling his eyes.   
"Oh…uh, sorry," Mallory blushed. She leapt back and readied herself to cast a spell.  
"Firaga!" the mannequin burst into flames and crumbled to the floor in a pile of ash.   
Kuja clapped. "Impressive." The without warning he hurled a lighting bolt at her. She had no time to dodge. She lay on the floor twitching, her arm burnt from the sheer heat. "What the hell?" she gasped. "Heal yourself, quickly!" Kuja urged. She did as she was told and was back on her feet again. "Very good."   
Mallory dusted herself off and felt her arm. "Really?"   
"Yes. Oh, I want to ask you something…"  
"Hm?"  
"You didn't make I big deal about my tail," he said, swinging it around into his hands and looking at it. "Why is that?"  
"It's not a big deal," she shrugged, "I saw a guy with a tail just the other day."  
Kuja ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly as he talked.  
"Where?" he commanded, eyes full of fire.  
"In Alexandria, by the castle…Why?"  
Kuja ignored her question. "What were you doing by the castle?"  
"Oh, one of the soldiers there is…was…my friend. I went to visit her."   
"Was he with anyone?"  
Mallory thought. "Yeah…I think so…five or six other people…"  
"Do you remember what they looked like?"  
"Why are you so interested?"  
"TELL ME!"  
"Okay, okay...The guy with the tail was blonde if I remember correctly…He was standing next to a brunette…It looked kinda like Princess Garnet from the angle I was at, but I don't know. Then there was one of those rat people…"  
"You observed quite a bit…"  
"Well, of course I did. They were kinda suspicious just standing there by the castle."  
Kuja thought for a moment. "Do you think they escaped?" Mallory piped up. "Yes, I'm certain of it…" Kuja scowled. "That damn monkey is ruining all of my plans!"  
Mallory giggled. "What's so funny?"  
"Oh, it's just that you're as much of a monkey as he is. Why do you want to know about him?"  
"That man, Zidane, is the one I want your help destroying."  
"That scrawny street rat?"  
"Yes. It should prove quite an easy task for you."  
"Well, why don't you do it?"  
"I have other business to attend to. You'll prove as a distraction. It's perfect."  
He started laughing quietly to himself, but it quickly got louder. "Oh, enough of this…It's getting late, I'll show you to your quarters…"  
Through more halls and teleporters they reached a room not unlike Kuja's. There was a huge bed waiting for her, like he had been expecting her. "There's a bathroom down the hall to the left. If you need anything, come get me. Take the teleporters back. Good night."  
The shut the door behind her. Mallory walked over to the dresser and pulled open the second drawer to the top. It had women's clothing in it. She would have assumed they were Kuja's anyway, but she held them up to her and saw try were her size and would never fit Kuja, considering how tall he was. She changed and washed the make up off her face, and saw there was more on her night stand. She smoothed the feathers in her hair back and secured them safely to her head with a few pins, so that they wouldn't break or rip when she slept. Then she heard a little noise from outside her door. She opened the door and saw no one, so she walked a little ways down the hall. Then she saw to Toramas staring at her from a little shaded corner. She bolted down the hall and onto a teleport pad, not caring where it took her. She ran about for another fifteen minutes before she knocked, exhausted, on Kuja's door. "Yes?" he showed up at the door in his nightclothes, slightly annoyed. "Monsters, everywhere!" she huffed. "Oh, really now," Kuja stepped back and let her in. Mallory sat by the vanity and Kuja sat on the bed.   
"There are monsters in this castle, true, but I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle."   
"It just surprised me…I thought you might have not known." She looked up at Kuja's face. Even in the dim light she could see he didn't have his make up on. "Well, I do," Kuja rubbed his eyes. "And it's time for you to go to bed. They won't bother you in your room. And, if you kill one in front of others, the live ones will tell others, and no monsters will bother you ever again." He opened the door for her. "Good luck finding you way back to your room."   
  



	4. IV

A wonderful smell drifted into the room early in the morning. Mallory rolled over and pulled the cover over her head, not wanting to be tempted to get up. Soon the rising sun blared through the window, and she sat up and stretched. She changed back into her armor/clothes and combed her hair, taking the pins out and fluffing her feathers. She by some miracle found her way to where the smell had come from. Kuja was sitting at a long mahogany table, waiting. "Good to see you're up," he said. "I wasn't going to wait much longer."   
The silver platters in the middle of the table lifted up on their own then flew to Kuja, landing lightly in his hands one by one. He served himself then the platters flew to Mallory. "What service," she said. There was French toast, scrambled eggs, hash browns…anything she could ever want for breakfast. When she was done the platters flew back to the middle of the table and vanished. "So," Kuja started, "Do you like the palace?" he took a drink from his goblet.   
"Oh, yes. It's wonderful," Mallory said, looking around the room. "Very…big. It's hard to find all of the rooms."   
"I'll take you on a tour today then, eh?"  
"I'd love it."  
The plates cleared themselves when the two were finished and Kuja lead her down a few corridors. "Here's the library," he said, pushing the door open. Mallory was speechless. "You've really read all of these books?" she asked, going up the stairs to the first set of shelves.   
"Yes. I have a lot of time to read on my hands." Mallory took another book and opened it. "So you can read this ancient Gaian stuff?" Kuja walked up the steps and took the book.   
"Well, what does it say?"  
Kuja looked down at the pages. "This one says '…born of legends, not the other way around. The eidolons protect the summoner village, Madain Sari…"  
"It looks handwritten."  
"It is. By one of my elders."  
"I see…" Kuja gave her the book back and she replaced it on the shelf. "The eidolons…Was that big dragon one of them?"  
"Yes."  
"What's it called?"  
"Bahamut."   
Mallory thought. "Can you summon them?"  
"In a way, yes…But I'll tell you another day…Let us continue the tour."  
Two hours later Mallory was very familiar with the palace. She walked silently by Kuja, not caring where he was going, deep in thought. "Kuja…"  
"Yes?"  
"When do I get to start my work?"  
"My, eager, aren't we?"  
"Yes, very."  
"You can start whenever you're ready. I expect that monkey is still on the Mist Continent."  
"How will I get there?"  
Kuja thought. "Come with me." He led her to the bottom of the palace, where there was a large door that opened to a path that lead to the desert. They walked out to the desert, shielding their eyes from the sun. Kuja scanned the sky. "There," he said, pointing, after a few minutes. There was a red dragon soaring about the clouds. He cast stop on it and it fell, stone hard, to the ground. "Let's get it inside…"  
They both dragged the big thing back into the palace and to another room in the bottom of it. There they chained it up and Kuja cast haste on it twice. It sprung to life and struggled ad roared. "Now, go up to it and put your hands on the sides of its head."  
"What?"  
"You heard me."  
"But it'll bite me!"  
"If it does just heal yourself, you have to do this. I did it with my dragon, and you saw how she turned out."  
Mallory carefully walked towards the snapping head, and managed to get her hands on it. It stopped moving, perhaps contemplating an attack. "Good. Now, think into it…. Like, try to talk to it with your mind, like that. There's no better way to describe it."  
Mallory thought very hard, concentrating on the dragon. She thought 'I won't hurt you, and I hope you won't hurt me. Please be still,' over and over. After about fifteen minutes, just when she was ready to give up, she heard a reply.   
~I understand. ~   
Mallory leapt back in surprise. "It talked! In my head! It's got a deep voice, like a man, it's weird."  
"Good, that's what you want. Try again."  
She put her hands back on its head and tried something else. 'You're not going to bite me?'   
~ No. ~   
'I need your help. I must fly to the Mist Continent. Will you help me?'  
~ …Yes. ~  
'What is your name?'  
~ You may call me whatever you wish. ~  
'How about…Yona?'  
~ I don't care. All names from your mouth are alien and strange to me. ~  
'Can you be trusted if we take the chains off?'  
~ Yes. ~   
She removed her hands from its head and turned to Kuja. "Take the chains off."  
Kuja did so willingly. The dragon shook out its feet and stared at Mallory. "Can you talk to me like this?" Mallory said aloud.   
~ Yes. ~  
Mallory turned to Kuja and smiled. "Do you and your dragon have this?"  
"We sure do."  
"So now I can go to beat...Zidane?"  
"Yes…Yes!"   



	5. V

Mallory leapt into Yona's back early the next day and started towards the Mist Continent. Kuja stood outside with her and waved as she lifted off. "Why are you staying here?" she yelled to him. "Because I get the feeling our friends are going to stop by for a visit soon," he yelled back. "Unless of course, you destroy them!"   
"I'll do my best!"  
The red dragon flew screaming into the sky and vanished into the clouds.   
Mallory concentrated hard on Zidane, or what she could remember of him. She did that almost halfway across the ocean. Then she almost sprang off the dragon in excitement. "They're in Lindblum!" she hollered to Yona.   
~ All right. That's where I'll take you. ~   
I hope my gut feeling is right, she thought. I don't want to have to search the whole continent….  
  
* * *  
  
"Drop me off here, so no one gets suspicious," she told Yona. He landed and crouched so she could get off, right inside the airship gates. ~ Just call me when you need me. ~ Then he flew back out the gates to do lord knows what. Mallory straightened her feathers and marched trough the street, concentrating again. "…Lindblum castle! That's where they are!"  
After boarding an air taxi she marched up to the castle, stopping all the guards that tried to get in her way. "…By the telescope at the top," she said again after more thinking. She ran through the castle, being guided by some invisible force, for she had never even been to Lindblum before. There, at the top, she saw the monkey boy and the girl who mysteriously looked exactly like Princess Garnet talking by the telescope. Well, the girl wasn't talking, more ignoring. She walked up silently behind them and Zidane nearly jumped out of his skin when she spoke. "Ha! I've found you!"   
Zidane turned and looked her over. "Who're you?"  
"I am called Mallory. I work under Lord Kuja," she said, bowing as she introduced herself. Zidane looked her over again. "How about you stop working for Kuja and come work for me?" he winked. The girl smacked him on the back of the head. Mallory now saw that she was really Princess Garnet.   
"Why, Princess, fancy seeing you here." Garnet didn't say anything, she just looked sad, as if to say 'I wish I were back in Alexandria.'   
"I do apologize, but my mission is to kill both of you and your friends. Prepare to meet your maker," she started a spell in her hands. Naturally, Zidane and Garnet bolted into the castle. "Damn it…" Mallory sighed as she turned to chase after then. They were fast, but Mallory cast a float spell so she flew over every obstacle. She quickly caught up with them. "Do stop running, you're only making it harder for yourselves."  
They both ran into what Mallory assumed was the royal chamber, and slammed the door. Mallory dropped to her feet and blew the door down with aera. There she saw the throne drop into the room below. She leapt into the hole it had left and flew over to the door, blocking the way out that all of them had been heading for. There were eight of them she realized. A burly knight, the Burmecian, the princess, Zidane, a little Summoner, a black mage, a big lard ball, and a hulking lizard man with a red afro.   
"What a troop," Mallory shrugged. "But I have to kill you all."  
"Oh yeah?!" the little Summoner squeaked. She charged at her waving her little fists. Mallory simply held her hand out and held her there by her head, the little horn safely between two fingers. Her fists were about a foot away from her body however ferocious the little girl was. Mallory pushed with her hand and threw the girl to the floor. The black mage cast a weak fira spell that was reflected and shot back at him, sending him flying.  
"Is that the best you can do?"   
Zidane seemed enraged. His tail lashed restlessly and his eyes narrowed, almost glowing. He slowly pulled his dagger from his sheath and took a step forward. "You want some?" he snarled.   
"I'd love some," Mallory smirked as she readied herself. She caught him on fire, but he didn't seem to care, he threw himself at her and slashed wildly with the dagger. The cast thundaga and he flew back a few feet, twitching on the floor. "Poor little monkey," Mallory said softly. "You really are no match for me…"  
She leaned over and looked at his face. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be having trouble breathing. She felt almost sorry she had done it. She hadn't really wanted to, after all. She was about to cure him and apologize when his eyes shot open and he lunged at her, sinking the dagger deep into her stomach. She feel back and gripped the hilt. Zidane got up and pulled it out of her. She sat back on the ground, covering her wound, as blood dripped out of her mouth. She took a few shaky breaths and was about to cure herself when she found out she had been silenced. She took another breath and lost consciousness, falling to the floor in a bloody heap.   
  
  



	6. VI

Mallory woke from a slight stabbing pain in her stomach. She rolled over and it became stronger. She sat up and looked around. She was still in Lindblum castle, she was sure, but she didn't know where. She looked across the room to see another bed, Zidane sleeping peacefully under the covers. He had been cured, as she had. He made a soft purring noise as he slept. Mallory held her stomach and got up. The slight squeaking of the mattress woke Zidane. "Hello," he said softly.   
Mallory laid back to ease the pain and looked over at him. "Hello."  
"I'm sorry about what I did," they both said to each other in unison. Zidane laughed softly. "It's all right. I'm fine now."  
Garnet made her way up the stairs. "Hello Dagger," Zidane said, sitting up straight. She didn't say anything, just offered him a plate with some food on it. "Thanks…" She went back down the stairs.   
"'Dagger?'"  
"Yeah. That's her alias," Zidane said, taking a drink from his cup.   
"I see…"  
He looked up at her, questioningly.   
"What are you gonna do to me?" she asked, scared a bit.   
"Hm…Fix you up and send you back to Kuja, I suppose."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, why not?"  
"Well… I tried to kill all of you."   
"Ah, think nothing of it. I could tell you didn't really want to. I knew it was Kuja's influence, probably."   
"Yeah…"  
"So, how'd you come to work for him?"  
"Well, we met just before Alexandria was destroyed by him…He told me to escape…Then, since I had no where else to go, I followed him to the Desert Palace and everything went from there."  
"I see," Zidane said thoughtfully.   
The little Summoner came up the stairs. "Zidane!" she threw herself at him. Zidane smiled and hugged her back. "Did I scare you, Eiko?"  
"Nah, I was just a little bit worried. Just a little." She looked over at Mallory. "What's that bimbo doing here?" she said angrily. Mallory glared a bit. "Now, now…" Zidane scolded lightly.   
"Eiko, was it?" The little girl nodded. "I wanted to apologize for how I treated you. I'm sorry." Eiko thought for a moment. "Well, apology excepted, I guess," she said uneasily. She grabbed Zidane's collar and drew him close so they could talk quietly, though Mallory heard the entire conversation.   
"Can we trust her? She works for Kuja, remember?"   
"I trust her, I don't think she's all that bad, it's like Kuja's controlling her or something. She could make a good double-agent."  
"Oh, really?" Mallory butted it.   
"Well, yeah. You know, you act like you're still loyal to him and tell us his plans…"  
"I am still loyal to him. You have my thanks, but I can't abandon him."  
"What, you…like him or something?"  
"Well of course I do."  
"I get it…But, could you help us, just a little bit?" Zidane pleaded with his big blue eyes. Mallory thought. "I don't know…I mean, I owe you my life, and I know what Kuja's doing is wrong…But I sense that there's something behind it, a good reason. Well, not a good reason, but a reason nonetheless."  
"Oh, don't worry. I see where you're coming from."   
"Zidane, that reminds me," Eiko said. "Steiner, Freya, and Vivi went to Black Mage Village to see if they could get any information on Kuja's hidden palace. They got back just minutes before I came up. I'll go get them." She scampered down the stairs and disappeared. Seconds later she returned with everyone else.   
"Good to see you awake and about, Zidane," the Burmecian said. "We don't know it's exact location, but we know it's on the eastern side of the Outer Continent. It's supposedly under quicksand, but I'm not sure I understand what the Black Mage said entirely."   
"You want to know where the Desert Palace is?" Mallory asked. "I'll show you."  
  
  
  



	7. VII

  
Yona led the Blue Narciss across the ocean, flying just above and ahead of it.   
"Are you sure we can trust her?" Steiner asked as he watched the dragon on the deck.   
"I'm sure of it," Zidane replied, slightly annoyed. Everyone had been asking him that.   
"Oh, Yona… I don't know what to do…" Mallory said to him softly.  
~ Whatever it is, you seem to be doing it already. ~   
" What will Kuja do when he finds out I betrayed him?"   
~ Well…You could really act like a double agent, and tell Kuja you acted like you were on their side, then led them to him. ~  
"How'd you get so smart for a dragon? That's a great idea! I'll have to tell them to play along and act like I double crossed them…"  
Yona swooped down to the deck and landed softly. "You're supposed to be leading us!" Steiner scolded. "Wait a second, let me talk," Mallory said as she got off Yona's back. "Zidane, I have a plan."  
"Do tell."  
"So Kuja won't be angry at me but you still get to the palace, I'll tell him I was a double agent for you and told you I was on your side while I was actually leading you to him. He'll fall for it, I think."  
"That's a great idea. Air tight."  
"So, I need you guys to act like I betrayed you. You know, play along."  
"Sounds good. I'll got tell the others." He and Steiner went into the ship to spread the news. Mallory got back and Yona and they lifted back up into the sky.   
"That set things straight, I hope."  
~ As do I. ~  
"Look, there's the Kiera Desert…We're getting closer."  
~ You seem nervous. ~  
"…I am."  
The Blue Narciss pulled onto the beach and Mallory watched the party get off as she hovered. Zidane waved at her and she continued to lead them, only a little slower so they could keep up. Right outside the quicksand pit they stopped. "Okay, I'll go in first. You guys wait a few minutes then bust in. And for gods sake be convincing."  
"No need to worry," Zidane assured, "We're all good actors." Dagger nodded.   
Mallory took a last look around and put one foot in the quicksand. "Good luck."  
The cool breeze sensation welcomed her. She landed lightly in the same corridor from the first time. She heard a loud voice that came from everywhere and nowhere. "Ah, I'm glad you've arrived. Step on the teleporter, my little bird."  
"Kuja?" No response. She stepped on the glowing panel and was taken directly to his room. He was sitting on his bed reading. He looked up at her and smiled. "Kuja," she nodded. "I tricked the party of morons. They followed me here, thinking I was on their side. Now, we can take care of them together." She smiled as evilly as she could.   
"Perfect," Kuja said, elated. He slapped his book shut and set it on the night stand. "Let's go." He got up and ran to the door. Mallory followed him. "Now, which way are they coming in from?" he asked as he made his way down the hall in a fast stride. "The quicksand, of course," Mallory huffed.   
"Good, let's wait for them in the corridor." They teleported to where Mallory had come in and waited.   
Please be safe, Mallory prayed. I want this to end with no casualties.   
After what seemed like forever, but was actually only two minutes, Zidane, Dagger, and Eiko appeared out of nowhere, followed by Freya, Steiner, Amarant, Quina, and Vivi. "Ah, welcome to my humble abode," Kuja said, arms outstretched. Mallory winked at Zidane over Kuja's shoulder. Zidane saw but didn't acknowledge. "You bitch! You tricked us!" he yelled at her very convincingly. Mallory laughed. "And you thought I'd actually abandoned Kuja and come to your side? You're stupider then you look!" Zidane growled and pulled out his dagger. Everyone else followed his example and drew their weapons. Mallory felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the insane glint in Kuja's eyes.   
He's going to kill them all, she thought. What should I do?   
She did the only thing she could think of. "Out of the way, Kuja! I'll handle them!" she pushed him lightly out of the way.   
"Oh, okay then. Take care of them."  
Mallory charged a spell in her hands. Dagger cast reflect on everyone. Mallory didn't aim at anything in particular, she jut let the spell go crashing around the room, then she fainted. She had used way too much energy. At this point Kuja captured the others and locked them up.   
When Mallory woke she wandered about until she heard a voice. It was Kuja. He was babbling about how he was going to kill all of them unless Zidane did something for him. Mallory went closer to the noise to find herself outside their cells. Zidane's opened and he came out. He looked over any Mallory but didn't say anything. Kuja told him to walk to the middle of the room where the two black mages were. He went between them and was teleported away. Mallory went to wait for him at the airship dock.  
She sneaked onto the Hildagarde when Zorn and Thorn weren't looking and hid herself in the storage. She could only imagine what Kuja would do to her if he found out she had left to help the enemy.   
After being bored out of her skull for a half-hour, the ship lurched into the air, startling her. Zidane must be onboard now, she thought. She picked herself up from between the two boxes and slowly made her way towards the deck. She saw Zidane standing a few feet away from the hatch were she was peering out. Zorn and Thorn were no where to be seen. "Psst! Zidane!" she whispered. Zidane looked around confused, as if he wondered if he heard anything. Mallory cautiously reached her hand out and tapped his boot. He lay down on his stomach and looked into the darkness of the crack between the hatch and the deck. "Mallory?" he said after squinting for a few moments.   
"Yes! Get down here before someone notices you sitting like that and talking!"   
Zidane slid under the hatch and they locked it from their side. "What are you doing here?" Zidane whispered into the darkness.   
"I'm here to help you." He looked puzzled. "Listen," she started. "Kuja has a trap for all of the friends you left behind. If you don't get back pretty darn fast they'll all fall to a fiery death! I'll help you fight and such so you can get out faster."  
"Why didn't you stay there and stop him?"  
"He was going to lock me in my room. I…read is journal. He keeps it by his bedside. It said something about him knowing I would go against him and that he would lock me in my room in case I go a 'surge of virtue'."   
"When did you read it?"  
"Oh, just before I got on the ship. The door was open when I passed so…"   
"Good thinking. Well, I guess we'd better tell those black mages to hurry it up and get us there."  
"Pray to the gods that he doesn't decide you've taken too long…"   
Zidane looked back at her through the darkness. "I will. Believe me I will."   
  
Author's note: Okay, okay, here's more ^^ I'm glad you people seem to like it. Well, if you have any suggestions (which I sorely need) or comments or anything e-mail me at Pretty_Selphie@hotmail.com. Thanks for your support (uh, I think)!   



	8. VIII

  
"We are here."  
"Here, are we."  
"Now get off!"  
"Get off, now!"  
Zorn and Thorn practically pushed Zidane of the ship and Mallory slid out of a hatch under the ship. " See you've decided to join us, Mallory," Freya said when she saw her. "Guys, we've got a situation on our hands, " Zidane started. "We need to get in and out real fast, got it?" Amarant, Steiner, and Freya all nodded in agreement. "We need to head south, through the Seaways Canyon," Mallory said, pointing south. "Then we head towards the sunset, and follow the winding trail."  
"Have you been here before, Mallory?"   
"No, it's just…By concentrating on a place or person, I know where it is. That's how I found you in Lindblum, Zidane."  
"Ah, I was wondering about that."  
"Well, if we are on a tight schedule I recommend we get moving," Freya said.   
"She's right, let's go."  
  
* * *   
  
At the end of the winding trail, sure enough, was Oeilvert. The quintet ran up the stairs and through the big door, slashing down monsters on their way.  
  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
"…But I do hate keeping promises…" Kuja said softly. Everyone left behind still in their cells, feared for their lives. "You see, this palace is home to a magnificent hourglass…As the sand falls, the floors of your cells will slowly open…Isn't that a marvelous way to kill you? Well? Goodbye, my sweet, lovable morons…"  
Eiko pounded on the door of her cell. Vivi sat in the corner shivering. Dagger paced restlessly. Quina licked its fork.   
Regent Cid was hopping around outside the cells. "I've got to reset that hourglass!" he croaked. He hopped down the hall to a small room where he saw the key resting on the cage of a hedgehog pie. "Oh, damn…Maybe it won't see me if I don't move…" he sneaked and sneaked and sneaked until he had the key in his slimy little hands, then he went to the scale in the corner. He would need to use it to get to the hourglass. He put the stone, sand, and iron weights on the scale and hopped up to the hourglass, resetting it, thus saving his comrades.  
  
Back at Oeilvert…  
  
"Is this it?" Zidane said, picking up the Gulug stone and examining it. "I think so," Mallory said, looking over his shoulder. "That's how Kuja described it to me…"   
"Well then, we should be off as soon as possible," Freya suggested.  
"Indeed," Steiner agreed.   
"Wait," Mallory said, holding her hand up to quiet them. "I hear something…Like a…motor?"  
The words had barely passed her lips when a huge ship with a giant blade mounted on the front soared down at them out of nowhere. "Incoming!" Zidane yelled as he pushed everyone out of the way. The ship crashed right into where they had been standing, its blade sunken deep into the solid stone floor. It pulled back and removed its blade, only to crash into the wall just inches above them after they ducked. "Move, move, move!" Zidane yelled as he tired to get to the door. Everyone else followed. The ship smashed into the wall right next to the door, causing debris to fall into their path. There wasn't much, but they couldn't move it while avoiding the ship. "We'll have to fight it, I think," Freya said, swinging around her spear. "Looks that way," Zidane said, drawing his daggers. They all readied their weapons and charged at it.   
  
Back at the Desert Palace…  
  
"I'm so relieved…" Dagger said as the cell opened and the floor closed. "Thank you, Uncle Cid," she smiled when she saw him. "My pleasure. I'm glad to see you're all still in one piece."  
Eiko, Vivi, and Quina all piled out of their cells. "Air! Fresh, cool AIR!" Eiko shouted, inhaling deeply. Mog flew out behind her. "Kupi, kupkup, kupopo!" she said. "Oh, really?" Eiko replied. "What did Mog say?" Dagger asked.   
"She said that we should get out of here before Kuja finds us."  
"I don't think we need Mog to tell us that…" Vivi said, adjusting his hat nervously.  
"She right though. We need leave," Quina said.   
"I'm guessing Kuja all ready knows we're out," Dagger said. "He'll probably send a monster to get us or something…" she said, wringing her hands.  
"Then let's get moving!" Eiko said, jumping up. Everyone headed to the large corridor at the end of the hall in the room. There were two angel statues and a candlestick. Eiko lit all three candles and a little red gem in the silver stick started glowing. She pulled it out and they continued on their way.   
  
Back at Oeilvert…  
  
Ark was just a pile of bent metal on the floor now. Everyone sat against the wall, exhausted, and healed himself or herself. "Well, I'm glad that's over," Zidane sighed. "Thanks for helping out, Mallory."  
"No problem, I owe it to you."  
"We should be going, if we wish to see our friends alive," Freya said, standing up.   
"She's right, you know," Amarant said, breaking his usual silence.   
They all stood up without another word and made there was back to the Hildagarde.   
"Do you have the stone?"  
"Stone, do you have?"  
"Yes, yes. Keep your hats on," Zidane said as he watched Mallory hide out of the corner of his eye.  
The Hildagarde lifted off into the sky and slowly made its way back to the Desert Palace. Zidane watched over the edge as deserts and ice caps passed below him. "I never really noticed before…but Gaia really is a beautiful place…."  
They entered the airship dock and landed softly. The ramp was pushed out onto the dock itself. Mallory sneaked off onto the ramp and walked down with Zidane.   
Waiting for them at the teleporter was Kuja.   
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
